Changes to e-Prescribing Regulations are on the Horizon

Everyone understands the value of going paperless, but many have yet to follow this path for prescriptions.

See what the new regulations are regarding e-prescribing and how this can affect your business.

Until 2010, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) required that prescriptions for controlled substances be written on paper. When the DEA established the Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances (EPCS) rule in March of 2010, practitioners suddenly had the option to prescribe controlled substances electronically rather than on paper, and pharmacists had the option to accept, dispense, and archive EPCS.

Starting March 27, 2016, however, new regulations in the state of New York will require that practitioners submit all prescriptions electronically, for both controlled and non-controlled substances, so paper prescriptions will no longer be an option for this state. Curious why this matters to you, if your home care business is not located in New York?

Regulation authorities suspect that other states may follow New York’s e-prescribing mandate, which will mean that your state could soon adopt similar legislation. In some states, this will be a significant change because, according to a report from The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, only 57% of new and renewal prescriptions were sent electronically in 2013.

In preparation for this change, providers need to assess what processes need to change to ensure compliance. In addition, providers need to ensure that their software systems are ready for the March deadline and that they have been audited and/or DEA-certified for controlled substances, if applicable.